Kuala Lumpur: Al Ain FC have tasked former Villarreal, Real Betis and Al Ahli boss Juan Carlos Garrido to chart their fortunes in the UAE Pro League and 2019 AFC Champions League.
Garrido, who hails from Spain, replaces Zoran Mamic in the Al Ain hotseat and has been given a contract till the end of the 2018/19 season by Al Ain.
The record 13-time UAE Pro League champions are currently second in the standings on 32 points. They trail leaders Sharjah by five points with 11 matches to play, beginning with Al Nasr on Saturday.
In his first full season at the helm of Villarreal in 2011, Garrido, 49, led the club to fourth place in La Liga, and qualification to the UEFA Champions League.
The team also reached the semi-finals in the Europa League, being ousted by eventual winners FC Porto of Portugal.
Garrido joins Al Ain from Moroccan club Raja Casablanca, having been with them since 2017 before parting ways last month.
Welcome to @alainfcae New Coaching Team
#alainclub @JCGarrido pic.twitter.com/2nfsnzj2HK— Al Ain FC - EN (@alainfcae_en) February 19, 2019
In the 2019 AFC Champions League, Al Ain are in Group C with Qatar's Al Duhail, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Esteghlal of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
FIFA Club World Cup 2018 runners-up Al Ain, whose 2018 AFC Champions League campaign ended in the Round of 16, face Al Hilal in their opening match on March 5.
Photo: Al Ain FC
Source: the-afc.com